1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a node equipment which provides a predetermined communication interface at a relay point or an end of a communication network, a terminal equipment accommodated in the node equipment via any communication link, and a storage medium which stores a program for realizing the equipments.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a variety of communication systems and data terminals are being put into practice by combining advanced digital transmission technology and advanced information processing technology.
Of such communication systems, particularly, LAN and the internet are applied to not only transferring E-mails and files but also speech communication and pictorial communication, and are also being realized connecting with existing telephone networks and other communications, along with price reduction in hardware and multimedia data terminals improved in throughputs.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a construction of a communication system made of a plurality of PBXs connected to a public telephone network and the internet.
In the example shown in FIG. 12, PBXs 100-1 and 100-2 are connected to a public telephone network 101 and the internet 102. Interior wires 103-11 to 103-1M of the PBX 100-1 and interior wires 103-21 to 103-2M of the PBX 100-2 are respectively connected to terminals 104-11 to 104-1M and 104-21 to 104-2M. The PBXs 100-1 and 100-2 are respectively connected to LANs 105-land 105-2, and the LANs 105-1 and 105-2 are respectively connected to data terminals (PCs), such as personal computers and others 106-11 to 106-1N and 106-21 to 106-2N.
The PBX 100-1 is made of extension trunks (LCs) 1071-1 to 107-1M individually connected to the interior wires 103-11 to 103-1M, a line wire trunk (BWT) 108-1 connected to the public telephone network 101, a VoIP gateway 109-1 connected to the internet 102, a switch 110-1 having ports respectively connected to the extension trunks 107-11 to 107-1M, the line wire trunk 108-1 and to the VoIP gateway 109-1, and a processor 112-1 connected to a communication link 111-1 together with the extension trunks 107-11 to 107-1M, the line wire trunk 108-1, the VoIP gateway 109-1 and the switch 110-1.
The VoIP gateway 109-1 is made of a line interfacing part 113-1 connected to a port corresponding to the switch 110-1, the communication link 111-1 and the internet 102, a LAN interface part 114-1 connected to the LAN 105-1, a loop back part 115-1, a sub-address recognition part 116-1, a PAD 117-1 and a conversion table 118-1 connected to an input corresponding to the sub-address recognition part 116-1 cascaded between the line interfacing part 113-1 and the LAN interface part 114-1, and a processor 120-1 connected to a bus 119-1 together with the line interfacing part 113-1, the LAN interface part 114-1, the sub-address recognition part 116-1 and the PAD 117-1.
Since the construction of the PBX 100-2 is identical to that of the PBX 100-1, the description thereof is omitted herein. In the following, identical reference numerals added xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d as a first suffix number are used to denote the corresponding components of the PBX 100-2.
In the conventional example of the above-described construction, the data terminal 106-11 is accommodated in the PBX 100-1 as an extension terminal via the LAN 105-1 and the VoIP gateway 109-1, and has a unique extension number assigned in advance as office data for the PBX 100-1. In the following, it is assumed that the extension number assigned to the data terminal 106-11 is xe2x80x9c1300xe2x80x9d for simplicity.
Moreover, in the PBX 100-1, a line number to be used for identifying an incoming line or an outgoing line which corresponds to the LAN 105-1 or the internet 102 is assigned to a port (hereinafter referred as the xe2x80x9cfirst particular portxe2x80x9d) connected to the VoIP gateway 109-1 in advance among the ports of the switch 110-1. The line number is held as the above-described office data, and is assumed to be xe2x80x9c111xe2x80x9d for simplicity.
In addition, in the PBX 100-2, an extension number xe2x80x9c2100xe2x80x9d is assigned to the terminal 104-21; a line number xe2x80x9c222xe2x80x9d for identifying an incoming line or an outgoing line which corresponds to the LAN 105-2 or the internet 102, is assigned to a port (hereinafter referred to as the xe2x80x9csecond particular portxe2x80x9d) connected to the VoIP gateway 109-2 in advance among the ports of the switch 110-2. The extension numbers and line number are held as office data.
Moreover, a unique number xe2x80x9c4000xe2x80x9d (hereinafter referred as the xe2x80x9cGW numberxe2x80x9d) indicating the entire node equipment 106-11 to 106-1N connected to the LAN 105-1 is assigned to the VoIP gateway 109-1 in advance, and the number is managed by the processors 112-1 and 120-1.
Unique IP addresses individually assigned to the terminals 104-11 to 104-1M (the interior wires 103-11 to 103-1M) are stored in advance in the conversion table 118-1 for records which correspond to the corresponding extension numbers.
Such IP addresses are assigned in a various form adapted to each access point of the internet 102, but it is not a feature of the present invention, the description thereof is omitted herein.
Similarly, a unique GW number xe2x80x9c4100xe2x80x9d indicating an equipment connected to the LAN 105-2 is assigned to the VoIP gateway 109-2 in advance.
Unique IP addresses individually assigned to the terminals 104-21 to 104-2M (the interior wires 103-21 to 103-2M) are stored in advance in the conversion table 118-2 for records that correspond to the corresponding extension numbers.
The data terminal 106-11 is provided with hardware and software operating as an internet telephone.
Moreover, when, for example, a call to the terminal 104-21 accommodated in the interior wire 103-21 of the PBX 100-2 is originated at the data terminal 106-11, an operator sets a phone number made of a sequence of the above-described GW number xe2x80x9c4000xe2x80x9d, the line number xe2x80x9c222xe2x80x9d and the extension number xe2x80x9c2100xe2x80x9d.
The data terminal 106-11 transmits a message, which contains the phone number and indicates an origination request, to the VoIP gateway 109-1 via the LAN 105-1 in the form of a packet.
In the VoIP gateway 109-1, the PAD 117-1 disassembles the packet given via the LAN interface part 114-1, and transfers the information contained in the packet to the processor 120-1 via the bus 119-1.
The processor 120-1 compares the GW number xe2x80x9c4000xe2x80x9d given in this manner and the GW number (=4000) given in advance. When the processor 120-1 determines that both numbers are equal to each other, the processor 120-1 selects the internet 102 as an outgoing line for the corresponding call from the internet 102 and a route formed between the processor 120-1 and the port corresponding to the switch 110-1.
In addition, the processor 120-1 generates a predetermined form of IP packet containing the GW number xe2x80x9c4000xe2x80x9d, the route number xe2x80x9c222xe2x80x9d and the extension number xe2x80x9c2100xe2x80x9d, are contained in the above-described phone number, and performs origination by transmitting the IP packet to the internet 102 via the bus 119-1 and the line interfacing part 113-1 on the basis of a predetermined protocol.
On the other hand, in the VoIP gateway 109-2 provided in the PBX 100-2, a line interfacing part 113-2 transfers the IP packet given via the internet 102 and contains the GW number xe2x80x9c4000xe2x80x9d, the line number xe2x80x9c222xe2x80x9d and the extension number xe2x80x9c2100xe2x80x9d to the loop back part 115-2.
The loop back part 115-2 determines whether the destination of the IP packet is in the local station, and when the result is true, the loop back part 115-2 transfers the IP packet to the sub-address recognition part 116-2.
The sub-address recognition part 116-2 determines whether the line number xe2x80x9c222xe2x80x9d contained in the IP packet given in this manner indicates a route formed between the VoIP gateway 109-2 and a corresponding port of the switch 110-2.
When the result is true, the sub-address recognition part 116-2 transfers controlling information showing the result and the corresponding IP packet to the processor 120-2 via a bus 119-2.
The processor 120-2 identifies the IP packet given together with the controlling information for information relative to a call whose destination party is to be any of the terminals 104-21 to 104-2M accommodated in the PBX 100-2.
Moreover, the processor 120-2 transfers the above-described IP packet to the processor 112-2 via the communication link 111-2.
Accordingly, the processor 112-2 identifies the occurrence of an incoming call to the terminal 104-21 assigned the extension number xe2x80x9c2100xe2x80x9d contained in the IP packet, and performs call processing on the incoming call.
In addition, in the process of the call processing, the processor 112-2 identifies a signaling signal (line signal) transferred to the terminal 104-21 and the data terminal 106-11.
In the process of the call processing, the VoIP gateway 109-2 performs protocol conversion between the internet 102 and the communication link 111-2 as well as the second particular port. The VoIP gateway 109-1 also performs protocol conversion between the internet 102 and the LAN 105-1.
Moreover, in the process of the call processing, the processors 120-1 and 120-2 respectively inform the terminal 104-21 (the destination party) and the data terminal 106-11 (the originating party) of pre-assigned IP addresses (hereinafter referred to as the xe2x80x9cdestination addressesxe2x80x9d) by transferring predetermined controlling packets to each other via the line interfacing parts 113-1, 113-2 and the internet 102.
In addition, when the processor 112-2 recognizes that the corresponding incoming call has become a completed call on the basis of the above-described call processing procedure, the processor 112-2 gives a notice of the recognition to the processor 120-2, and forms a speech path between the interior wire 103-21 and the VoIP gateway 109-2 by controlling the switch 110-2 via the communication link 111-2.
Moreover, in the VoIP gateway 109-2, when the processor 120-2 is given the above-described notice, the processor 120-2 gives the notice to the processor 120-1 via the line interfacing part 113-2, the internet 102 and the line interfacing part 113-1.
Moreover, in the process of the above-described protocol conversion, the processor 120-2 gives an instruction to the sub-address recognition part 116-2 and the PAD 117-2 that the IP address assigned to the terminal 104-21 and the extension number xe2x80x9c2100xe2x80x9d of the terminal 104-21 are to be mutually converted, and the above-described xe2x80x9cdestination addressxe2x80x9d is to be applied to the destination of an IP packet containing a speech signal, a signaling signal (line signal) and a register signal to be transmitted to the data terminal 106-11 which is the originating party.
In the VoIP gateway 109-1, in the process of the above-described protocol conversion performed in the VoIP gateway 109-2, given the above-described notice to the processor 120-1, the processor 120-1 gives an instruction to the sub-address recognition part 116-1 and the PAD 117-1 that the above-described xe2x80x9cdestination addressxe2x80x9d is to be applied to the destination of an IP packet containing a speech signal, a signaling signal (line signal) and a register signal to be transmitted to the terminal 104-21 which is the destination party.
Accordingly, a channel passing through the internet 102 as shown in FIG. 13(a)(1) is formed between the data terminal 106-11 accommodated in the LAN 105-1 and the terminal 104-21 accommodated in the PBX 100-2.
When, for example, the terminal 104-11 instead of the data terminal 106-11 is an originating party, the terminal 104-11 adds the GW number xe2x80x9c4000xe2x80x9d assigned to the VoIP gateway 109-1 at the time of origination or the route number xe2x80x9c111xe2x80x9d assigned to the above-described first particular port, to the head of the phone number.
The processor 112-1 selects the above-described first particular port as an outgoing line by translating the phone number and performing routing.
Moreover, the VoIP gateway 109-1 performs an operation identical to the previously described one under the control of the processor 120-1, except that the line interfacing part 113-1 operates instead of the LAN interface part 114-1.
Accordingly, a channel passing through the PBX 100-1, the internet 102 and the PBX 100-2 as shown in FIG. 13(b) is go formed between the terminals 104-11 and 104-21.
When, for example, a call to the data terminal 106-11 accommodated in the LAN 105-1 is originated at the terminal 104-21, the above-described GW number xe2x80x9c4000xe2x80x9d is not contained in an IP packet.
Moreover, at the terminal 104-21, a phone number made of the previously described route number xe2x80x9c111xe2x80x9d and an extension number xe2x80x9c1300xe2x80x9d assigned to the data terminal 106-11 is set by an operator.
In the PBX 100-2, the processor 112-2 performs call processing on the call originated at the terminal 104-21 in this manner, by coordinating with an extension trunk 107-21, a line wire trunk 108-2 and the switch via the communication link 111-2.
In the process of the call processing, under a code translation based on a numbering plan, the above-described phone number is transferred to the PBX 100-1 via the public telephone network 101 as notice of an incoming call.
In the PBX 100-1, the phone number is given to the processor 112-1 via the line wire trunk 108-1 and the communication link 111-1, and the processor 112-1 refers to the phone number for routing.
Moreover, the processor 112-1 transmits an incoming notice containing the phone number to the VoIP gateway 109-1 via the first particular port corresponding to the route number xe2x80x9c111xe2x80x9d contained in the phone number.
In the VoIP gateway 109-1, concerning the data terminals 106-11 to 106-1N, extension numbers individually assigned in advance and unique addresses assigned on the LAN 105-1 are given to the processor 120-1 corresponding respectively each other.
Under the control of the processor 120-1, the line interfacing part 113-1, the loop back part 115-1, the sub-address recognition part 116-1, the PAD 117-1 and the LAN interface part 114-1 interface the transmission system and the protocol of the LAN 105-1 with a signaling system applied to the previously described first particular port, while performing mutual conversion between the extension number xe2x80x9c1300xe2x80x9d of the data terminal 106-11 (the destination party) and the address of the data terminal 106-11 on the LAN 105-1.
Accordingly, a channel passing through the public telephone network 101 as shown in FIG. 13(a)(2) is formed between the terminal 104-21 accommodated in the PBX 100-2 and the data terminal 106-11 accommodated in the LAN 105-1, and both terminals are used in speech communication service.
However, in the above-described conventional example, when the data terminal 106-11 originates a call to the terminal 104-21 so that a completed call occurs, an operator of the data terminal 106-11 generally does not recognize the IP address assigned to the data terminal 106-11 at the time of origination. Moreover, the IP address is not always the same.
Accordingly, when the operator of the terminal 104-21 is to originate a call to the data terminal 106-11, the operator must utilize the extension number of the data terminal 106-11 which is orally informed in a previous call, or which is obtained by a predetermined inquiry or reference to extension number""s list.
In other words, in spite that the public telephone network 101 is in general more expensive in cost compared to the internet 102, it is needlessly frequently utilized.
In addition, when either of an originating party and a destination party is a data terminal accommodated in the LAN 105-1 or 105-2 or the internet 102 and the other is any of the terminals 104-11 to 104-1M and 104-21 to 104-2M directly accommodated in the PBX 100-1 and 100-2, either of the GW numbers xe2x80x9c4000xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c4100xe2x80x9d respectively assigned to the VoIP gateway 109-1 and 109-2 must be added to a phone number to be set at the time of origination.
In other words, since the number of digits of the phone number set at the time of origination is large, there is an increasing possibility of termination to an improper party or an incomplete call.
Moreover, when any of the terminals 104-11 to 104-1M and 104-21 to 104-2M directly accommodated in the PBXs 100-1 and 100-2 is an originating party, it is remarkably complicated and actually impossible to set a phone number by clearly grasping the difference in charging system, the degree and frequency of congestion, and other factors at the time of origination between the public telephone network 101 and the internet 102, (regarding the internet, the factors depend on what facilities or transmission speed of the internet backbone providers have).
In addition, the correspondence between the extension numbers and IP addresses registered in advance in the conversion tables 118-1 and 118-2 must be appropriately updated by personnel in case any of the data terminals 106-11 to 106-1N and 106-21 to 106-2N accommodated in the PBXs 100-1 and 100-2 via the VoIP gateways 109-1 and 109-2 is expanded, removed or relocated.
An object of the present invention is to provide a node equipment, a terminal equipment and a recording medium capable of automatically forming a channel to a desired communication network without changing a phone number set by an originating party, and capable of smoothly achieving expanding, removing or relocating a terminal accommodated vie any network.
Another object of the present invention is to reapply a network applied to a channel for an actual originated call, without any restrictions on the setting of an incoming call to be performed at an originating party of the succeeding originating call.
Another object of the present invention is to avoid the occurrence of a useless incomplete call.
Moreover, another object of the present invention is to realize functional distribution and load distribution flexibly adapted to the distribution of traffic.
Another object of the present invention is to realize functional distributions and load distributions by a plurality of node equipments.
Another object of the present invention is to minimize the probability of unnecessarily deteriorating service quality or the occurrence of an incomplete call due to relocation, removal or a change of service order, when either a terminal being an originating party or a destination party, or a node equipment accommodating the terminal, even if no record stored in advance is updated at the time of the above-described occasions.
Moreover, another object of the present invention is to make it possible to apply the present invention to a node equipment accommodating any terminal such as a local switch or a PBX.
Moreover, another object of the present invention is to reducing the size of a storage area, throughput and other resources.
Another object of the present invention is to avoid the occurrence of a useless incomplete call with high reliability due to not updating stored records, according to a change in service order.
Moreover, another object of the present invention is to maintain high service quality and reduce running cost.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce maintenance and operation cost and to improve service quality and reliability without complexing the operation of an accommodated terminal equipment.
The above-described objects are achieved by a node equipment which makes a record of unique identification information and a network identifier indicating an accommodated network of a plurality of networks with regard to both or either of an originating party and a destination party of a call, and when the succeeding call has occurred, it performs routing selecting a network indicated by an identifier obtained as a record corresponding to identification information of a destination party of the call as a candidate for an outgoing line.
In the node equipment, concerning a call whose destination party is either an originating party or a destination party of the network indicated by the above-described network identifier is selected as an outgoing line.
Accordingly, a network applied as a channel for an actual call is reapplied without any restriction on the setting of a destination party to be performed at an originating party of the succeeding call.
The above-described objects are achieved by a node equipment which makes the above-described record only in the case of a completed call.
In the node equipment, the occurrence of a useless incomplete call is avoided, since the record does not contain identification information indicative of a node equipment or a terminal actually inoperative due to removal, relocation or a trouble and a network identifier indicating a network connected to the node equipment or the terminal.
Moreover, the above-described objects are achieved by a node equipment which transmits identification information and a network identifier objected for recording, to a network connected to neither an incoming line nor an outgoing line of a call objected for recording.
In the node equipment, identification information indicating both or either of an originating party and a destination party and a network identifier indicating a network actually forming channel for the call are given even to a call with neither call setup nor protocol conversion performed.
Accordingly, the node equipment can select a network indicated by the network identifier as a candidate for an outgoing line at routing of a call of a local station, by referring to a combination of the identification information and the network identifier.
In addition, the above-described objects are achieved by a node equipment which transmits identification information and a network identifier only to a node equipment or a terminal indicated by the identification information.
In the node equipment, since the above-described combination is divided, distributed, and accumulated for each terminal or node equipment which is assigned identification information individually included in the combination, load distribution and functional distribution can be realized in a form adapted to the distribution of traffic.
Moreover, the above-described objects are achieved by excluding the above-described transmitted identification information and a network identifier from accumulation.
In the node equipment, combinations already accumulated in any other node equipment connected via a communication link or a network are not accumulated as a record.
Accordingly, the load or the function necessary to make the record is distributed to a plurality of node equipments.
In addition, the above-described objects are achieved by a node equipment which makes a record of identification information and a network identifier given from outside, and applies the record to routing of the succeeding originated call.
In the node equipment, load distribution and functional distribution are flexibly realized even if a local station performs neither call setup nor protocol conversion to a call, because identification information indicating an originating party or a destination party of the call and an network identifier indicating a network having a channel for the call are obtained.
Moreover, the above-described objects are achieved by a node equipment which makes a record of the time when a call has occurred in addition to identification information and a network identifier, and which deletes or invalidates the record made of the identification information, a network identifier and time, when the expiration time exceeds a predetermined upper limit.
In the node equipment, the time necessary for accumulating a combination of identification information and network identification information for recording is limited to the predetermined upper limit or below, so that it is possible to minimize the probability of unnecessarily deteriorating service quality or of the occurrence of an incomplete call due to relocation, removal or change of service order, even when no records accumulated in advance are updated at the time of either a terminal being an originating party or a destination party or a node equipment accommodating the terminal in the above-described occasions.
In addition, the above-described objects are achieved by a node equipment which accommodates terminals capable of being originating parties or destination parties and makes a record of a call that has occurred at any of the terminals.
In the node equipment, with regard to a call whose originating party or destination party corresponds to any of the terminals accommodated in a local station, a combination containing identification information of the terminal is made for recording.
Accordingly, the present invention is also applied to a node equipment accommodating any terminal such as a local switch or a PBX.
Moreover, the above-described objects are achieved by a node equipment which adds an address unique to a terminal that is the corresponding originating party or destination party to identification information for recording.
In the node equipment, the information content of combinations to be accumulated as a record is the minimum necessary to specify a network, which becomes a candidate for an outgoing line at the time of routing.
Accordingly, the size of a storage area and the throughput necessary for accumulating a record as well as other resources are reduced.
The above-described objects are achieved by a node equipment which updates both or either of office data and a record according to a service order given by a terminal.
In the node equipment, combinations accumulated as a record are updated according to updating a service order in a terminal, which is an originating party or a destination party.
Accordingly, a useless incomplete call and deterioration in service quality due to no update are avoided with high reliability.
Moreover, the above-described objects are achieved by a terminal equipment connected to the above-described node equipment which gives a desired service order to the node equipment.
In the terminal equipment, high service quality is maintained and running cost is reduced since a service order indicating an operating condition of a terminal equipment according to the present invention is transferred to a node equipment accommodating the terminal equipment.
The above-described objects are achieved by a storage medium which stores a program operating a computer as a part of all of the components of the above-described node equipment under a predetermined functional distribution or load distribution, and which is also computer-readable.
The storage medium stores the program which operates a computer as a part or all of the components of a node equipment according to the present invention, and which is also computer-readable. The program is made of software to be executed by a computer or a microprogram built in the computer, and can be circulated by being recorded on a removable storage medium separate from the computer.
Accordingly, the computer reading and executing the program in the storage medium according to the present invention is a component of the above-described node equipment.
Moreover, the above-described objects are achieved by a storage medium which stores a program operating a computer as a means of comprising the above-described node equipment, and which is also computer-readable.
The storage medium stores the program which operates the computer as a part or all of the components of a terminal equipment according to the present invention, and which is also computer-readable. The program is made of software to be executed by the above-described computer or a microprogram built in the computer, and can be circulated by being recorded on a removable storage medium separate from the computer.
Accordingly, the computer reading and executing the program in the storage medium according to the present invention is a component of the above-described terminal equipment.
Further objects and features of the present invention will be explained thoroughly in detail in the following based on the drawings accompanied.